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| {{short description|Character on Sesame Street}} | |||
| ] | |||
| {{Infobox character | |||
| '''Aloysius Snuffleupagus''' is one of the ] characters on the long-running educational television program for young children, '']''. He resembles a ], without ]s or (visible) ears, and he is a friend of ]. He attends Snufflegarten and has a baby sister named ]. | |||
| | name = Mr. Snuffleupagus | |||
| | series = ] | |||
| | image = Snuffy31.jpg | |||
| | caption = | |||
| | first = Episode 0276 (November 15, 1971) | |||
| | creator = | |||
| | lbl1 = Performed by | |||
| | data1 = ] {{small|(1971–1978)}}<br />] {{small|(1978–1981)}}<br />] {{small|(1981–present)}} | |||
| | alias = Snuffy, Snuffleupagus, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Aloysius (by his mother), Snuffs | |||
| | species = Snuffleupagus | |||
| | gender = Male | |||
| | nationality = ] | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Aloysius Snuffleupagus''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|s|n|ʌ|f|əl|ˈ|ʌ|p|ə|g|ə|s}}), more commonly known as '''Mr. Snuffleupagus''' or '''Snuffy''' for short, is one of the characters on '']'', a ]/] educational television program for young children. His head bears resemblances to ]s and ]s, but he has no ]s or (visible) ears. He also has a tail similar in shape to that of a ] (like a ]; in particular, a '']''). He has thick, brown hair and a trunk, or "snuffle", that drags along the ground. Snuffy is also ]'s best friend, and has a younger sister named ]. | |||
| ==History== | |||
| For many years, Big Bird was the only character on the show who saw him (he only came along when Big Bird was alone). The other characters teased Big Bird when he said he had seen the Snuffleupagus, because they didn't believe there was such an animal, often despite evidence to the contrary (such as an oversized teddy bear that Snuffy had left behind). This was modeled in part on the ]s some young children have. | |||
| For many years, only Big Bird would see Snuffy, because he would always leave while Big Bird went to get the others, leading everyone else to believe Snuffy was simply an ], but after '']'', Big Bird finally succeeded in revealing Snuffy to his friends on Sesame Street. Before that, the main adult characters teased Big Bird when he said he had seen him, because they did not believe there was such an animal, often despite evidence to the contrary, such as an oversized teddy bear that Snuffy had left behind, or segments in which Snuffy interacted with other characters, such as a street scene where Snuffy was seen playing ] with some of the neighborhood children. This was meant to echo the imaginary friends some young children have.<ref name=iO9>{{cite news|last=Inglis-Arkell|first=Esther|title=The Child Psychology of Sesame Street|url=http://io9.com/5864435/the-child-psychology-of-sesame-street|access-date=28 June 2013|newspaper=iO9}}</ref> | |||
| Snuffy's original puppet was skinny and sunken, with an almond-shaped head and bulging green-and-yellow eyes. He also originally was perpetually depressed, speaking in a sad and echoey voice. This appearance was deemed to be somewhat frightening for younger children, so his eyes were made round and white, and his personality friendlier. | |||
| ==The "Goodbye" episode (1985)== | |||
| {{spoiler}} | |||
| By the mid-1980s, the storylines had the adult characters becoming increasingly frustrated with Big Bird using Snuffleupagus as a ] whenever something went wrong while they were out of the room. In one episode, newspapers on ] carried the front page headline, "Snuffy's got to go!" | |||
| By the late 1970s, the storylines had the adult characters becoming increasingly frustrated with Big Bird using Snuffy as a ] whenever something went wrong while they were out of the room. In one episode, newspapers on ''Sesame Street'' carried the front-page headline, "Snuffy's Got To Go!" Some adults gradually began to believe Big Bird, the first being folk singer ], who sang Big Bird a song about her belief in Snuffy.<ref>Beta, Andy. , ''New York Sun'', 18 June 2007.</ref> After Buffy's departure from the show, ] (]), ] (]), and ] (]) became believers in Snuffy's existence, while the others remained skeptical about his existence. | |||
| This running gag ended with the ], ] episode of ''Sesame Street'' (early in the series' 17th season), when the adults finally met Snuffy. The adults have been driven to the brink after another incident gone wrong, and give Big Bird an ultimatum: tell this "Mr. Snuffleupagus" good-bye once and for all, or else. Out of options and excuses, Big Bird and Snuffy tearfully say their good-byes in Big Bird's nest area. One of Snuffy's tears falls onto Big Bird while they embrace, leading Big Bird to realize that if he can even feel the water from the tears, Snuffy must be real. While the two are embracing, the adults enter the room and see that Snuffy is definitely real. After Snuffy introduces himself, Big Bird does an "I told you so" routine, prompting the adults to apologize profusely. | |||
| In September 2014, Mr Snuffleupagus appeared on '']'' where he met his hero and purported relative, ]. Stephanopoulos thanked Snuffy for "helping a generation of Americans learn to pronounce his name."<ref>Hennes, Joe , ''Tough Pigs'', 12 September 2014.</ref> | |||
| The ] decided on this storyline largely after high-profile (and sometimes, graphic) stories on ] and ] on shows such as '']'' and '']''. Concerns were raised that the running Snuffleupagus gag, where the adults refused to believe in Snuffleupagus despite Big Bird telling them about it and despite the fact that children, as the show's viewers, could clearly see that Snuffleupagus was real, could make children fear that they will similarly not be believed and therefore make them reluctant to tell an adult if they have been ].<!--this is the truth anons, go to a library and look in Sesame Street Unpaved--> | |||
| ==Meeting the adults== | |||
| Mr. Snuffleupagus remains a prominent part of ''Sesame Street''. | |||
| This running gag of Snuffy not becoming visible to the adults ended with the Season 17 premiere of ''Sesame Street'', episode 2096 (first aired November 18, 1985, following the release of the ''Sesame Street'' film '']''). Big Bird is tired of the adults refusing to believe him about Snuffy, so he decides to arrange for them to come to his nest and meet Snuffy when he yells the signaling word, "Food!" He chooses this word because he knows the grown-ups will not believe him if he tells them his real reason for inviting them to his nest, and "food" is a more credible lure. When Big Bird calls out the word, Snuffy runs off to tell his mother about the meeting, so once again the grown-ups just miss him. Gordon, wanting to help, suggests to Big Bird that he needs someone to help him keep Snuffy in his nest, and ] offers to be the one. Snuffy returns, then tells Elmo he had better go home and brush his fur to prepare for the grown-ups' arrival, but Elmo holds on to his snuffle so he cannot go. Big Bird yells, "Food!" as a distraction, and one by one the adults come and see Snuffy for the first time ever. They are stunned, then cautiously approach, before Big Bird returns overjoyed. Susan (]) apologizes on behalf of the adults for disbelieving Big Bird for so long. Bob (]) then tells him, "From now on, we'll believe you whenever you tell us something." (Snuffy tells Big Bird they should get what Bob said in writing.) Linda (]) then suggests that Big Bird introduce Snuffy to everyone one by one. Then-popular talk show host ], appearing as himself on the episode, was also introduced to Snuffy. The entire '']'' cast henceforth sees Snuffy regularly on the show. | |||
| In an interview on the show ''Still Gaming'', Snuffy's performer, ], revealed that Snuffy was finally introduced to the main human cast mainly due to a string of high-profile and sometimes graphic stories of ] and sexual abuse of children that aired on '']''. According to ], the writers felt that by having the adults refuse to believe Big Bird, they were scaring children into thinking that their parents would not believe them if they had been abused and that they would just be better off remaining silent.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fessenden |first=Marissa |url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/brief-history-sesame-streets-snuffleupagus-iidentity-crisis-180957351/ |title=A Brief History of Sesame Street's Snuffleupagus Identity Crisis |work=Smithsonian |date=November 20, 2015 |access-date=September 26, 2017}}</ref> On the same telethon, during Robinson's explanation, ] uttered the words "Bronx daycare", a reference to reports on New York TV station ] of ]. This was seen in the documentary '']''. | |||
| ⚫ | ==Spelling |
||
| ⚫ | According to sources |
||
| ⚫ | ==Spelling== | ||
| ⚫ | The 1985 Warner Brothers movie '']'' depicts his name properly spelled on his mailbox. |
||
| ⚫ | According to sources such as the ] Web site and ''Sesame Street Unpaved'', the character's name is spelled "Snuffleupagus". From the 1970s until the late 1980s, it was frequently hyphened, resulting in "Snuffle-upagus". Many licensors, closed-captioners, and fans (including websites) misspell the word. Even ] website errs, spelling the character's name "Snuffulupagus".<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515062230/http://www.henson.com/sesamestreet.php |date=2014-05-15 }}. Henson.com. Retrieved on June 23, 2012.</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | The 1985 Warner Brothers movie '']'' depicts his name properly spelled on his mailbox. At the time he was still considered by others as Big Bird's "imaginary" friend. The fact that he was shown with his own real place, as well as him sending Big Bird a very real postcard, set up his revelation to the rest of Sesame Street later that year. | ||
| ==Trivia== | |||
| * In the ] video '']'', it is revealed that Snuffy's grandmother lives in ]. | |||
| * In the 1990s, it was established that the species was indigenous to ]. | |||
| * The episode where the adults met Snuffy is cited by some fans as the moment when ''Sesame Street'' ]. | |||
| * In '']'' (1983), Snuffy and Big Bird help a little Egyptian prince break a spell to go on to the afterlife and become a star with his parents. | |||
| ==Performers== | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| Snuffy was first performed by ],<ref>{{cite book |last=Jones |first=Brian Jay |date=2013 |title=Jim Henson: The Biography |chapter=Sesame Street |publisher=Ballantine Books |location=New York |isbn=978-0-345-52611-3 |page=165}}</ref> then ], and currently ]. His back end has been performed by ], ], Frank Kane, and currently Bryant Young. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| *] | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{Reflist}} | |||
| {{Sesame Street Characters}} | |||
| {{Authority control}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Snuffleupagus, Aloysius}} | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 03:09, 18 November 2024
Character on Sesame Street Fictional character| Mr. Snuffleupagus | |
|---|---|
| Sesame Street character | |
 | |
| First appearance | Episode 0276 (November 15, 1971) |
| Performed by | Jerry Nelson (1971–1978) Michael Earl Davis (1978–1981) Martin P. Robinson (1981–present) |
| In-universe information | |
| Alias | Snuffy, Snuffleupagus, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Aloysius (by his mother), Snuffs |
| Species | Snuffleupagus |
| Gender | Male |
| Nationality | American |
Aloysius Snuffleupagus (/ˌsnʌfəlˈʌpəɡəs/), more commonly known as Mr. Snuffleupagus or Snuffy for short, is one of the characters on Sesame Street, a PBS/HBO educational television program for young children. His head bears resemblances to giant anteaters and mammoths, but he has no tusks or (visible) ears. He also has a tail similar in shape to that of a dinosaur (like a sauropod; in particular, a Brontosaurus). He has thick, brown hair and a trunk, or "snuffle", that drags along the ground. Snuffy is also Big Bird's best friend, and has a younger sister named Alice.
History
For many years, only Big Bird would see Snuffy, because he would always leave while Big Bird went to get the others, leading everyone else to believe Snuffy was simply an imaginary friend, but after Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird, Big Bird finally succeeded in revealing Snuffy to his friends on Sesame Street. Before that, the main adult characters teased Big Bird when he said he had seen him, because they did not believe there was such an animal, often despite evidence to the contrary, such as an oversized teddy bear that Snuffy had left behind, or segments in which Snuffy interacted with other characters, such as a street scene where Snuffy was seen playing London Bridge with some of the neighborhood children. This was meant to echo the imaginary friends some young children have.
Snuffy's original puppet was skinny and sunken, with an almond-shaped head and bulging green-and-yellow eyes. He also originally was perpetually depressed, speaking in a sad and echoey voice. This appearance was deemed to be somewhat frightening for younger children, so his eyes were made round and white, and his personality friendlier.
By the late 1970s, the storylines had the adult characters becoming increasingly frustrated with Big Bird using Snuffy as a scapegoat whenever something went wrong while they were out of the room. In one episode, newspapers on Sesame Street carried the front-page headline, "Snuffy's Got To Go!" Some adults gradually began to believe Big Bird, the first being folk singer Buffy Sainte-Marie, who sang Big Bird a song about her belief in Snuffy. After Buffy's departure from the show, Linda (Linda Bove), Maria (Sonia Manzano), and Gordon (Roscoe Orman) became believers in Snuffy's existence, while the others remained skeptical about his existence.
In September 2014, Mr Snuffleupagus appeared on Good Morning America where he met his hero and purported relative, George Stephanopoulos. Stephanopoulos thanked Snuffy for "helping a generation of Americans learn to pronounce his name."
Meeting the adults
This running gag of Snuffy not becoming visible to the adults ended with the Season 17 premiere of Sesame Street, episode 2096 (first aired November 18, 1985, following the release of the Sesame Street film Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird). Big Bird is tired of the adults refusing to believe him about Snuffy, so he decides to arrange for them to come to his nest and meet Snuffy when he yells the signaling word, "Food!" He chooses this word because he knows the grown-ups will not believe him if he tells them his real reason for inviting them to his nest, and "food" is a more credible lure. When Big Bird calls out the word, Snuffy runs off to tell his mother about the meeting, so once again the grown-ups just miss him. Gordon, wanting to help, suggests to Big Bird that he needs someone to help him keep Snuffy in his nest, and Elmo offers to be the one. Snuffy returns, then tells Elmo he had better go home and brush his fur to prepare for the grown-ups' arrival, but Elmo holds on to his snuffle so he cannot go. Big Bird yells, "Food!" as a distraction, and one by one the adults come and see Snuffy for the first time ever. They are stunned, then cautiously approach, before Big Bird returns overjoyed. Susan (Loretta Long) apologizes on behalf of the adults for disbelieving Big Bird for so long. Bob (Bob McGrath) then tells him, "From now on, we'll believe you whenever you tell us something." (Snuffy tells Big Bird they should get what Bob said in writing.) Linda (Linda Bove) then suggests that Big Bird introduce Snuffy to everyone one by one. Then-popular talk show host Phil Donahue, appearing as himself on the episode, was also introduced to Snuffy. The entire Sesame Street cast henceforth sees Snuffy regularly on the show.
In an interview on the show Still Gaming, Snuffy's performer, Martin P. Robinson, revealed that Snuffy was finally introduced to the main human cast mainly due to a string of high-profile and sometimes graphic stories of pedophilia and sexual abuse of children that aired on 60 Minutes. According to Carol-Lynn Parente, the writers felt that by having the adults refuse to believe Big Bird, they were scaring children into thinking that their parents would not believe them if they had been abused and that they would just be better off remaining silent. On the same telethon, during Robinson's explanation, Loretta Long uttered the words "Bronx daycare", a reference to reports on New York TV station WNBC-TV of alleged sexual abuse at a Bronx daycare center. This was seen in the documentary Sesame Street Unpaved.
Spelling
According to sources such as the Sesame Workshop Web site and Sesame Street Unpaved, the character's name is spelled "Snuffleupagus". From the 1970s until the late 1980s, it was frequently hyphened, resulting in "Snuffle-upagus". Many licensors, closed-captioners, and fans (including websites) misspell the word. Even The Jim Henson Company website errs, spelling the character's name "Snuffulupagus".
The 1985 Warner Brothers movie Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird depicts his name properly spelled on his mailbox. At the time he was still considered by others as Big Bird's "imaginary" friend. The fact that he was shown with his own real place, as well as him sending Big Bird a very real postcard, set up his revelation to the rest of Sesame Street later that year.
Performers
Snuffy was first performed by Jerry Nelson, then Michael Earl, and currently Martin P. Robinson. His back end has been performed by Richard Hunt, Brian Meehl, Frank Kane, and currently Bryant Young.
See also
References
- Inglis-Arkell, Esther. "The Child Psychology of Sesame Street". iO9. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
- Beta, Andy. "Sainte-Marie Sings a New Song", New York Sun, 18 June 2007.
- Hennes, Joe "Snuffleupagus Meets Stephanopoulos on GMA", Tough Pigs, 12 September 2014.
- Fessenden, Marissa (November 20, 2015). "A Brief History of Sesame Street's Snuffleupagus Identity Crisis". Smithsonian. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
- The Jim Henson Company Archived 2014-05-15 at the Wayback Machine. Henson.com. Retrieved on June 23, 2012.
- Jones, Brian Jay (2013). "Sesame Street". Jim Henson: The Biography. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 165. ISBN 978-0-345-52611-3.
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